American Theatre from December 1, 1774, to May 20, 1775
Yesterday Mr. John Brown, one of the principal Merchants of this Town, being at Newport, as an Agent for this Colony, appointed by the General Assembly to purchase Provisions, for the Use of this and your Government, was seized upon in a Freight or Packet Boat coming to Providence. He was carried and confined on Board a Man of War lying in Newport; and about 300 Barrels of Flour, in that Packet... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
April 1775
Thursday 27
Moor'd in Rhode Island Harbour
P M sent the Sloop Abigal to Boston2
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
This day at noon sailed the two Provid[enc]e packets seized yesterday, and in one of them Mr. Jno Brown is carried off for Boston, whither also they have sent the flour.
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Yesterday, Capt. [James] Wallis [Wallace] of His Majesty's Ship Rose, stationed in this Harbor, stopped a small Sloop, bound to Providence with a Quantity of Flour, consigned to Mr John Brown, Merchant in that Town, who was a Passenger on board said Sloop, with a regular Sufferance from the Custom House for the Flour; notwithstanding which, Capt. Wallis detained Mr Brown on board His Majesty's... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
I receivd yours thanking me for my endeavours for the Release of your Brother from on board the Man of Warr, When I heard of his Detention tho' I had no very great intimacy with Capt [James] Wallace The thoughts of his Family & their Distressd Situation cou'd not but move every Person of the least Humanity & on seeing him the Sympathising Tear trickled on my Cheek. I was from four oClock... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Whereas the Continental Congress did resolve in the following words, viz: "And we further agree and associate, that we will have no trade, commerce, dealings, or intercourse, whatever with any colony or province in North America which shall not accede to, or which shall hereafter violate this Association, &c."2
And whereas the Parliament of Great-Britain, in pursuance of their plan... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The Committee having just now received Intelligence that the Magazine of powder at Williamsburgh had been seized on Thursday the 20th Instant in the night by Captn. [Henry] Collins commander of one of his Majestys Sloops of War and by the Governors directions was deposited on Board his Vessell, thought it adviseable to forward this Information to the Committee of Philadelphia which was... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
In compliance with your request we give you a candid Relation of the Disturbance which happend last Week in this City about the removal of the Powder from the Public Magazine. Early on Friday morning [April 21] the Inhabitants were universally and much alarmed at the Report that the Powder had been removed the preceding Night under an Escort of Marines and carried on board an Armed Vessel at... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Gentlemen, The General Committee thinking it of the highest Importance that the Committees in the interior Parts of the Colony, and that, through them, the People at large, should from Time to Time be informed of all such Affairs and Transactions as have any Relation to the American Cause; they have for the Management of so necessary a Service nominated a Committee of Intelligence.
We are very... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
On the 8th of March Bill passed the House of Commons, restraining the Provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, from fishing on the Banks of Newfoundland; and from exporting to any Part of the World, but to "Great-Britain, or some of the British Islands in the West Indies." Thus, as these four Provinces have by the American Association contracted not to export... Continue Reading
Date: 27 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Your fav. of 24th Inst I recd duly, & observe the Contents ー The late unhappy Event, has put by all business for the present. Your order to Charter or purchase a Vessel is Impractacable here ー Therefore decline an attempt ー A Vessel cou'd not be man'd, with the greatest assurances for the seamans safety from an impress, nor is it possible to procure a Master & men for the purpose of... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Whereas a worthy Friend to the Liberties of America, Mr John Brown of Providence hath been lately seized, & with two other persons carried on board a British Ship of War at Newport.
Ordered, That Samuel Murray & such officers of Gen [Thomas] Gages Army as are now prisoners of War & not disabled from travelling on account of their Wounds be immediately sent under a Sufficient guard to... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
It [is] with the deepest Concern that We find Mr [John] Browne, that devoted Friend to the Cause of America, betrayed into the Hands of our common Enemies & every Measure for his Release that can be pursued by us shall most earnestly be adopted
We have ordered Samuel Murray son of the Mandamus Counceller & such officers of General [Thomas] Gages Army as are prisoners of War & not... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Mr Joseph Brown, and Mr Moses Brown of this Place, principal Merchants, and Gentlemen of Distinction and Probity, will wait upon you with this Letter ー Their Brother Mr. John Brown of this Town Merchant, was two Days ago forcibly taken at Newport in a Packet, as he was coming from thence with a Quantity of Flour, which he had purchased there. He was carried on Board a Ship of War and confined,... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The alarming situation of public affairs in this country, & the late unfortunate transactions in the Province of the Massatts Bay, have induced the General Assembly of this Colony, now sitting in this place to appoint a Committee of their body to wait upon your Excellency to desire me, in their name to write to you relative to these very interesting mattersー
The inhabitants of this Colony are... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
My Dear Sir In great haste I wrote you but a very few lines by [Edward] Chappell this day in Answer to all your letters, wch I beg you will Excuse, for our City has been in Such Tumult & confusion ever since Sunday last that Scarcely any Business has been done, and every day we have had People Marching booth day & Night through the Streets with Arms & they are Exercising &... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
. . . was our troubles settled I would not make the least doubt of our getting business Enough. but troubles sams to Come Heavyer for the troops & people in N. England have had an Engagement in which we think the troops are worsted the best acct we have yet here I now Inclose you but have not mentiond it to any person on yr side but yr self.2 how matters will now end God knows. but... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
You must not be angry with me for (at this Time) being apparently negligent in my Intelligence to Lord Dartmouth, for it is impossible to give any positive Intelligence or Information on Affairs here. We are at this Time, as You will judge by the inclosed, in a State of thorough Confusion. I had set apart Wednesday, Yesterday, and this Day (Friday) for writing fully on the Affairs of this Country... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
By some Gentlemen who came passengers with Captain Miller, we learn . . . That Lord William Campbell is appointed Governour of South Carolina, and was at Portsmouth ready to sail for his government.
The Mary, Miller, from London, and Tom, Clark, from Liverpool, are arrived in York river; the Jenny, Welch, Molly, Collins, and Sparling, Priestman, from Liverpool, at Norfolk.
His Majesty's ship... Continue Reading
Date: 28 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
I this minut have an opertunity to Informe you of the State of our affairs at the Eastward that we are all Stantch for Countery Except three men and one of them is Deserted the other two is in Iorns ー as for the vessels which attemtd to Carrey Stuff to our enemies are stopt and I am about to move about Two hundred of white pine masts and other stuff got for our Enemies use Sir having heard of... Continue Reading
Date: 29 April 1775
Volume: Volume 1
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